Australia Wants Thai Workers To Work In Its Construction Industry

[edwinclapham]

Wow, good luck to the Aussies having important infrastructure built by Thais. There are few things scarier. Saw another article recently about Aussies needing men and women in the armed forces, so they are actually trying to entice Americans and Europeans to come to OZ. Looks like they are really struggling.

British service personnel have been recruited to join Australian services for years. Nothing new in that!

I didn't know that. First time, though, for me to hear that Americans were being actively recruited.

I think you will find that migrants are secured from a selection of many countries throughout the world.

To go through the hoops is not easy and expensive.

Australia can be an extremely expensive country to migrate to particularly for Americans.

Naturally this is dependent on whether you manage to secure employment, collateral and state of residence.

House prices are extremely high in the main.

PR visas are the way to go .

457 visas (temporary) remain very popular with employers which can be very unstable, can incur education/health costs etc unlike PR.

Going back to migrated armed services they are given a direct citizenship which is statutory to join the Australian armed services.

Edited May 11, 2012 by edwinclapham

[softgeorge]

So there is a huge labour shortage in WA and Qld, and Vic is cutting TAFE Positions.

Apples and oranges.

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

Not correct, different states have seperate certificatiion requirements for trades people, at least from overseas. Friend of mine, electrian from South Africa applied for job in WA and they wouldn't recogise his trade certification, whereas QLD did so

I think you are confusing Australian trained and overseas trained.

A separate license is required in each State and Territory in which you may wish to work. However, there are arrangements for the mutual recognition of interstate licenses which facilitate the issue of similar licenses in different States and Territories.

For overseas trades people it is different, they are required to undergo an assesment program and cannot work unsupervised until they have met all requirements, especially in the electrical trades where they must pass an examination on Australian wiring standards.

[chooka]

So there is a huge labour shortage in WA and Qld, and Vic is cutting TAFE Positions.

Apples and oranges.

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

Not correct, different states have seperate certificatiion requirements for trades people, at least from overseas. Friend of mine, electrian from South Africa applied for job in WA and they wouldn't recogise his trade certification, whereas QLD did so

I think you are confusing Australian trained and overseas trained.

A separate license is required in each State and Territory in which you may wish to work. However, there are arrangements for the mutual recognition of interstate licenses which facilitate the issue of similar licenses in different States and Territories.

For overseas trades people it is different, they are required to undergo an assesment program and cannot work unsupervised until they have met all requirements, especially in the electrical trades where they must pass an examination on Australian wiring standards.

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

[kerryk]

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

Not correct, different states have seperate certificatiion requirements for trades people, at least from overseas. Friend of mine, electrian from South Africa applied for job in WA and they wouldn't recogise his trade certification, whereas QLD did so

I think you are confusing Australian trained and overseas trained.

A separate license is required in each State and Territory in which you may wish to work. However, there are arrangements for the mutual recognition of interstate licenses which facilitate the issue of similar licenses in different States and Territories.

For overseas trades people it is different, they are required to undergo an assesment program and cannot work unsupervised until they have met all requirements, especially in the electrical trades where they must pass an examination on Australian wiring standards.

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

No wonder all the Aussies want to work in Thailand.

[thaihome]

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

What is your basis for thinking not many Thais would fill these requirments? How many major construction sites (sites with 2,000+ workers) have you been to?

At our site, and every site I have been to in Thailand the past 5 years, all workers go through an 8 hour orientation course that covers all the subjects you mention, except the first aid requirment. First Aid is covered, enough to get an injured person to the full time nurse on duty. All workers are given a mandatory drug and alcohol screening at hiring and are subject to the 1% daily random testing that is done.

TH

TH

[simple1]

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

What is your basis for thinking not many Thais would fill these requirments? How many major construction sites (sites with 2,000+ workers) have you been to?

At our site, and every site I have been to in Thailand the past 5 years, all workers go through an 8 hour orientation course that covers all the subjects you mention, except the first aid requirment. First Aid is covered, enough to get an injured person to the full time nurse on duty. All workers are given a mandatory drug and alcohol screening at hiring and are subject to the 1% daily random testing that is done.

TH

TH

I think you will find that the poster is referring to certification requirements that would take days to study and complete rather than an a eight hour orientation course. Would need to be able to speak, read & write English for the courses.

[thaihome]

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

What is your basis for thinking not many Thais would fill these requirments? How many major construction sites (sites with 2,000+ workers) have you been to?

At our site, and every site I have been to in Thailand the past 5 years, all workers go through an 8 hour orientation course that covers all the subjects you mention, except the first aid requirment. First Aid is covered, enough to get an injured person to the full time nurse on duty. All workers are given a mandatory drug and alcohol screening at hiring and are subject to the 1% daily random testing that is done.

TH

TH

I think you will find that the poster is referring to certification requirements that would take days to study and complete rather than an a eight hour orientation course. Would need to be able to speak, read & write English for the courses.

You do not need a Senior First Aid Certificate to work on an Australian construction site. You may need it in order to hold specific licenses, but for many positions no such licenses are required.

The poster was trying to say that he was unsure “how many thais would fill these requirements”. I was pointing out that on major construction sites in Thailand, sites just like the Australian ones that are recruiting Thai (and many other workers), similar requirements are in place and workers are fulfilling those requirements.

So far, I have not heard a single poster here that has any experience with major construction sites in Thailand saying Thais are incapable of working in Australia. It all just continues to be Thai bashing from their bar stools or homes in Nakon Nowhere.

TH

[Time Traveller]

Wow, good luck to the Aussies having important infrastructure built by Thais. There are few things scarier. Saw another article recently about Aussies needing men and women in the armed forces, so they are actually trying to entice Americans and Europeans to come to OZ. Looks like they are really struggling.

I fail to see how a booming economy is 'struggling'...

Would you also say that the US economy is booming also?

According to http://www.tradingeconomics.com/gdp-growth-rates-list-by-country, the latest quarterly data (Q4 2011) indicates that Australian GDP is 2.3% compared with USA 2.1%, India 6.1% and China 8.1% (Yoy).

The much faster growth rates of India & China also hide the fact that their economies are much larger that the Australian economy.

[airconsult]

Wow, good luck to the Aussies having important infrastructure built by Thais. There are few things scarier. Saw another article recently about Aussies needing men and women in the armed forces, so they are actually trying to entice Americans and Europeans to come to OZ. Looks like they are really struggling.

I fail to see how a booming economy is 'struggling'...

Would you also say that the US economy is booming also?

According to http://www.tradingec...list-by-country, the latest quarterly data (Q4 2011) indicates that Australian GDP is 2.3% compared with USA 2.1%, India 6.1% and China 8.1% (Yoy).

The much faster growth rates of India & China also hide the fact that their economies are much larger that the Australian economy.

You can use statistics in many ways - did you try GDP per capita (nominal)?

That would show:

Country Rank USD per capita

Australia 6 65,477

China 88 5,414

Thailand 90 5,394

India 140 1,389

Wake me when the standard of living in India and China matches the Aussies - then I'll pay attention.

Cheers

[Jessi]

TH, Building standards in Thailand are just so great, Im not on a bar stool or in Nakon Nowhere. Plenty of other facts about the dangers of building standards in Thailand if you know how to use google.

[simple1]

What a lot of people forget also is that to gain employment in Australia, especially the mining and construction areas they must also hold;

a Senior First Aid Certificate, completed an awareness course in Occupational Health and Safety as well as workplace harrassment and be prepared to undergo regular random drug & alcohol screening. I am not sure how many thais would fill these requirements but I do not think it would be to many. Thai tradesmen have a bit of work to do before applying for positions.

What is your basis for thinking not many Thais would fill these requirments? How many major construction sites (sites with 2,000+ workers) have you been to?

At our site, and every site I have been to in Thailand the past 5 years, all workers go through an 8 hour orientation course that covers all the subjects you mention, except the first aid requirment. First Aid is covered, enough to get an injured person to the full time nurse on duty. All workers are given a mandatory drug and alcohol screening at hiring and are subject to the 1% daily random testing that is done.

TH

TH

I think you will find that the poster is referring to certification requirements that would take days to study and complete rather than an a eight hour orientation course. Would need to be able to speak, read & write English for the courses.

You do not need a Senior First Aid Certificate to work on an Australian construction site. You may need it in order to hold specific licenses, but for many positions no such licenses are required.

The poster was trying to say that he was unsure “how many thais would fill these requirements”. I was pointing out that on major construction sites in Thailand, sites just like the Australian ones that are recruiting Thai (and many other workers), similar requirements are in place and workers are fulfilling those requirements.

So far, I have not heard a single poster here that has any experience with major construction sites in Thailand saying Thais are incapable of working in Australia. It all just continues to be Thai bashing from their bar stools or homes in Nakon Nowhere.

TH

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

[thaihome]

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

Your question shows you have no knowldege of how international construction projects work. There would be no need for the Thai staff to integrate with an Australian workforce or for anyone but the supervison to speak English. The plan for our projects is to use them as unit to work on specfic scopes of work. They would live in camps along with other workers, with Thai food would available for them (and anyone else that wanted it). This is standard for such projects.

I have no idea how many Thais have "relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects". At this point I doubt many, as with all the work that has been in Thailand over the past 10 years, the skilled workers have had little reason to work overseas.

I do know that in the late 90's we used several hundred Thais on a power project in Australia with no problem. Some of those are still working for us on project here in Thailand.

TH

[chooka]

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

Your question shows you have no knowldege of how international construction projects work. There would be no need for the Thai staff to integrate with an Australian workforce or for anyone but the supervison to speak English. The plan for our projects is to use them as unit to work on specfic scopes of work. They would live in camps along with other workers, with Thai food would available for them (and anyone else that wanted it). This is standard for such projects.

I have no idea how many Thais have "relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects". At this point I doubt many, as with all the work that has been in Thailand over the past 10 years, the skilled workers have had little reason to work overseas.

I do know that in the late 90's we used several hundred Thais on a power project in Australia with no problem. Some of those are still working for us on project here in Thailand.

TH

I would assume that the supervisor would be Australian to ensure that everything complies with Australian standards, so does that mean he would have to become proficient in the Thai language or will they put a thai in charge of the construction.

[dickyknee]

So there is a huge labour shortage in WA and Qld, and Vic is cutting TAFE Positions.

Apples and oranges.

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

We've had a few people on here indicating they can't find work in construction (in this example, it's not limited to though) in Australia. My point is that on a state by state basis, there is low demand in Vic, so funding from the state coffers isn't going to be invested in training people who are going to move interstate. No return on investment.

It funny you bring up 1901, it took alot of lobbying to include WA, even then most of the northwest was not included in most of the negotiations.

[softgeorge]

So there is a huge labour shortage in WA and Qld, and Vic is cutting TAFE Positions.

Apples and oranges.

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

We've had a few people on here indicating they can't find work in construction (in this example, it's not limited to though) in Australia. My point is that on a state by state basis, there is low demand in Vic, so funding from the state coffers isn't going to be invested in training people who are going to move interstate. No return on investment.

It funny you bring up 1901, it took alot of lobbying to include WA, even then most of the northwest was not included in most of the negotiations.

You forgot Fiji and New Zealand who were considering joining also.

[dickyknee]

So there is a huge labour shortage in WA and Qld, and Vic is cutting TAFE Positions.

Apples and oranges.

Not really Victoria is part of Australia and these people that would be trained for Australia's future could fill the shortages in WA & QLD, in fact anywhere in Australia. Australians would be employed in Australia and no need to import labour. In 1901 the 6 separate British Colonies got together and formed one single Nation, the country we have today so hardly apples and oranges. When you apply for a job you are generally asked are you and Australian citizen or do you have the right to work in "Australia." Not are you a WA citizen (QLD,VIC whatever) and do you have the right to work in WA. Australia is one country and nothing like Nth/Sth Korea.

We've had a few people on here indicating they can't find work in construction (in this example, it's not limited to though) in Australia. My point is that on a state by state basis, there is low demand in Vic, so funding from the state coffers isn't going to be invested in training people who are going to move interstate. No return on investment.

It funny you bring up 1901, it took alot of lobbying to include WA, even then most of the northwest was not included in most of the negotiations.

You forgot Fiji and New Zealand who were considering joining also.

I can't see YouTube ATM.

[Time Traveller]

I fail to see how a booming economy is 'struggling'...

Would you also say that the US economy is booming also?

According to http://www.tradingec...list-by-country, the latest quarterly data (Q4 2011) indicates that Australian GDP is 2.3% compared with USA 2.1%, India 6.1% and China 8.1% (Yoy).

The much faster growth rates of India & China also hide the fact that their economies are much larger that the Australian economy.

You can use statistics in many ways - did you try GDP per capita (nominal)?

That would show:

Country Rank USD per capita

Australia 6 65,477

China 88 5,414

Thailand 90 5,394

India 140 1,389

Wake me when the standard of living in India and China matches the Aussies - then I'll pay attention.

Cheers

GDP per capita tells us nothing about the economy's growth. If it did we could also say that the European economy is booming. So airconsult, just go back to sleep. We'll wake you up when we need an ill-informed pointless argumentative comment.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Time Traveller

[Skywalker69]

Mr. Greg Wallace, Shame on you. Maybe we should import one Thai MP to replace your job.

What t an excellent idea, lets send the whole bunch to Australia, that should be far enough from Thailand.

[Skywalker69]

Be lucky to find 20

.

Where?

[Skywalker69]

after watching my house being built i wouldnt employ any workers from this coutry even though they call themselves technichines , never saw anything technical in anything they did but as a farang coulndt say a word about it to them and only got thats how thai do from my wife when complaining to her to try and get things done properly.

I must be lucky then, my house is very well built.

[Skywalker69]

This could be great opportunity for Thai workers who are skilled to a high degree, some are though most aren't but all receive a comparative pittance to what they could earn in Farangland.

But you have to ask why?

I think the Australians are also hoping to pay them a comparative pittance.

nope, it's not about replacing local staff with cheaper imported staff. it's about finding qualified tradesmen to fill fill the job vacancies.

they get paid the same or more.

So why didn´t they go for the Burmese?

[simple1]

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

Your question shows you have no knowldege of how international construction projects work. There would be no need for the Thai staff to integrate with an Australian workforce or for anyone but the supervison to speak English. The plan for our projects is to use them as unit to work on specfic scopes of work. They would live in camps along with other workers, with Thai food would available for them (and anyone else that wanted it). This is standard for such projects.

I have no idea how many Thais have "relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects". At this point I doubt many, as with all the work that has been in Thailand over the past 10 years, the skilled workers have had little reason to work overseas.

I do know that in the late 90's we used several hundred Thais on a power project in Australia with no problem. Some of those are still working for us on project here in Thailand.

TH

I haven't claimed knowledge of international construction projects, that's why I asked the question.

[dickyknee]

This could be great opportunity for Thai workers who are skilled to a high degree, some are though most aren't but all receive a comparative pittance to what they could earn in Farangland.

But you have to ask why?

I think the Australians are also hoping to pay them a comparative pittance.

nope, it's not about replacing local staff with cheaper imported staff. it's about finding qualified tradesmen to fill fill the job vacancies.

they get paid the same or more.

So why didnt they go for the Burmese?

I think there maybe some political reasons involved.

[thaihome]

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

Your question shows you have no knowldege of how international construction projects work. There would be no need for the Thai staff to integrate with an Australian workforce or for anyone but the supervison to speak English. The plan for our projects is to use them as unit to work on specfic scopes of work. They would live in camps along with other workers, with Thai food would available for them (and anyone else that wanted it). This is standard for such projects.

I have no idea how many Thais have "relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects". At this point I doubt many, as with all the work that has been in Thailand over the past 10 years, the skilled workers have had little reason to work overseas.

I do know that in the late 90's we used several hundred Thais on a power project in Australia with no problem. Some of those are still working for us on project here in Thailand.

TH

I would assume that the supervisor would be Australian to ensure that everything complies with Australian standards, so does that mean he would have to become proficient in the Thai language or will they put a thai in charge of the construction.

The supervisor would be Thai and speaks enough English to communicate with the Superintend and Field Engineers, who these days are likely to be either Americans or Brits (or even Thai). The same organization we use here in Thailand.

TH

[airconsult]

I fail to see how a booming economy is 'struggling'...

Would you also say that the US economy is booming also?

According to http://www.tradingec...list-by-country, the latest quarterly data (Q4 2011) indicates that Australian GDP is 2.3% compared with USA 2.1%, India 6.1% and China 8.1% (Yoy).

The much faster growth rates of India & China also hide the fact that their economies are much larger that the Australian economy.

You can use statistics in many ways - did you try GDP per capita (nominal)?

That would show:

Country Rank USD per capita

Australia 6 65,477

China 88 5,414

Thailand 90 5,394

India 140 1,389

Wake me when the standard of living in India and China matches the Aussies - then I'll pay attention.

Cheers

GDP per capita tells us nothing about the economy's growth. If it did we could also say that the European economy is booming. So airconsult, just go back to sleep. We'll wake you up when we need an ill-informed pointless argumentative comment.

Gee, I feel intimidated by that!

Perhaps like so many others who happen to just believe hype and hyperbole, you fail to examine the exact causes and strengths of economies. I was making a comment on the lack of research in your original statement about the size of economies - what measure do you use? Only growth? If I have one dollar, and I earn another dollar - 100%. If I have 5 billion dollars and I make another 1 billion dollars, that's 20%. But perhaps more importantly - is my growth secure? What caused it and what backs the demand?

Of course the final piece that annoyed me was the casual way you refer to just one measurement as an indicator as the health of an economy, and simply dismiss another measurement which would show the efficiency of labour and resource use. After all - if I require 50 people in India to generate the same revenue as 1 person in Australia, that seems to be quite relevant. But you can go back to reading the ill-considered ranting of uneducated journalists if you wish.

Please reread the published research from which this quote comes.

But this proportion must in every nation be regulated by two different

circumstances: first, by the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which

its labour is generally applied; and, secondly, by the proportion

between the number of those who are employed in useful labour, and that

of those who are not so employed. Whatever be the soil, climate,

or extent of territory of any particular nation, the abundance or

scantiness of its annual supply must, in that particular situation,

depend upon those two circumstances.

[softgeorge]

Mr. Greg Wallace, Shame on you. Maybe we should import one Thai MP to replace your job.

What t an excellent idea, lets send the whole bunch to Australia, that should be far enough from Thailand.

Great idea the standard of politicians in Thailand are well above those of Australia. Australian politicians could learn a lot from thier Thai Friends. Both have 1st time female P.M's and if I had to choose b/w Yinluk or Julia then Yinluk would win hands down as she is by far the one with the highest IQ. Yep lets swap governments then people in Thailand would really have something to complain about and the country would be destroyed in a matter of days.

[softgeorge]

Personally I am not indulging in Thai bashing, I'm happy living in Thailand. However it would be interesting, based upon your experienc of working on large construction projects here in Thailand, what percentage of Thai staff would have sufficient understanding of English to successfully integrate with an Australian workforce. Also do you have any knowledge of roughly many Thais have relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects?

Your question shows you have no knowldege of how international construction projects work. There would be no need for the Thai staff to integrate with an Australian workforce or for anyone but the supervison to speak English. The plan for our projects is to use them as unit to work on specfic scopes of work. They would live in camps along with other workers, with Thai food would available for them (and anyone else that wanted it). This is standard for such projects.

I have no idea how many Thais have "relocated to Australia under the 457 scheme for consturction/infrastucture projects". At this point I doubt many, as with all the work that has been in Thailand over the past 10 years, the skilled workers have had little reason to work overseas.

I do know that in the late 90's we used several hundred Thais on a power project in Australia with no problem. Some of those are still working for us on project here in Thailand.

TH

I would assume that the supervisor would be Australian to ensure that everything complies with Australian standards, so does that mean he would have to become proficient in the Thai language or will they put a thai in charge of the construction.

The supervisor would be Thai and speaks enough English to communicate with the Superintend and Field Engineers, who these days are likely to be either Americans or Brits (or even Thai). The same organization we use here in Thailand.

TH

The story states that "all of whom must have experience and possess some English speaking skill that is acceptable to Australian employers." That means if the workers can't speak english then they won't be employed. Remember these people are not actually required for major projects, but to fill the position created as a flow on from the mining boom and the like. The construction of housing for workers, education facilities for families etc, and maintenance of facilities and equpment. They will be employed by a number of small and middle range Australian companies working for Australians with Australian supervisors.

[merlen10002]

Hope they have to do 90 day reporting in Aussie.

On a serioous note, the Aussies must be desperate, there are NO standards in this country. Thousands will die in Australia from collapsing buildings, bad electrical installation etc.

and bamboo scaffolding...

But in reality, there would be much better countries to import labour from that do have basic english skills already......like New Zealand.

All the Kiwis are there already,, none left in New Zealand, that why OZ wants Thais

[thaihome]

The story states that "all of whom must have experience and possess some English speaking skill that is acceptable to Australian employers." That means if the workers can't speak english then they won't be employed. Remember these people are not actually required for major projects, but to fill the position created as a flow on from the mining boom and the like. The construction of housing for workers, education facilities for families etc, and maintenance of facilities and equpment. They will be employed by a number of small and middle range Australian companies working for Australians with Australian supervisors.

Agreed, but I was addressing the posts that were saying Thais were unsuitable for working on construction projects and the efforts our company is planning to recruit them. There are many I know of that could work in the conditions in the OP.

TH

[chooka]

The Australian government made an announcement on this today. P.M Gillard says that there will be 1,700 positions for skilled labour from across the globe. I guess either Australia has got it wrong or Thailand has got it wrong. Australia say 1,700 worldwide and Thailand say 20,000 from Thailand. Someone has seriously got the figures wrong.